The Writing World According to John-Boy

In The Chicken Thief episode, Ben received a letter from Liberty magazine saying he’d won a poetry contest, but guilt plagued him as his poem on winter closely resembled that of his brother’s poem on spring.

Enter John-Boy, who quickly put Ben’s mind at ease by sharing that writers have been inspiring other writers for hundreds of years, adding their own voice, and thereby creating their own masterpiece. Ben had used John-Boy’s idea—but ended up writing a better poem.

It was the only part of the episode I caught, but I’m glad I did. In the past, I’ve actually avoided reading both poetry and prose in fear of unconsciously using a word, phrase, or idea another writer may have already used. My writer’s group, however, enlightened me to the fact there’s “nothing new under the sun” but there is much to learn from more experienced writers.

I can’t imagine my world without the writer’s group—or John-Boy, of course.

Poem – “A Winter Mountain” by Benjamin Walton –

Our mountain in winter is something to see at times it is just like a person to me. A giant in white all covered with snow it changes each day as the heavy winds blow. And when I'm alone and I go for a walk it's almost as if that old mountain can talk. It seems to say Welcome my Winter Friend I was here at the beginning, I'll be here at the end.

And what would a post on the Walton’s be without Earl Hamner’s distinctive “voice” to close us out?

“Outside our mountain the world was in deep depression, but we were sheltered by a common bond. The accomplishment of one was the accomplishment of all. We shared our glories, our defeats, our hopes, our aspirations, but mostly our love”.

Cathy, this was so needed! I am an impressionist and I harbor words, fragment, images in my mind. When something happens to trigger a memory and I write about it, sometimes I wonder whether I thought of it or someone else did. One time I had such a knot in stomach for days, but when I tracked down the source that inspired the memory, I didn't even recognize it. Nowhere near my own words. We inspire each other, but do have to be careful. Thanks.

SEARCH

CATEGORIES

ARCHIVES

INSTAGRAM

FEATURED IN *

* Affiliate links

TO GOD BE THE GLORY!

I RECOMMEND FISTBUMP MEDIA…

POETRY CHIC

Disclosure

Some of my links are affiliate links, which means I receive a small compensation if you purchase the product. The compensation, however, will never influence the content, topics or posts made in this blog. I only link to products I have used and personally recommend.